


Jack and Clara

by alafaye



Series: Travels [5]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-23
Updated: 2013-07-23
Packaged: 2017-12-21 03:57:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/895512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alafaye/pseuds/alafaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Clara meets Jack.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Jack and Clara

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [love bingo](http://alafaye.livejournal.com/337489.html) and the prompt "I will always love you". I played fast and easy with this prompt, but how else could this be written? I am playing around with River and the Doctor and how they're traveling in opposite directions, but I think Moffat did that first so I'm not worried. This story is set before the last episode of season 7.

Clara met Jack Harkness when they--she and Jack and the Doctor--were running from L'qwnt (nope, she still could not say that one). Why they were running, she was unsure, but she did know that the Doctor looked more upset by Jack than the L'qwnt and Jack was beaming. Oh and there laser shots and the L'qwnt had very bad aim.

Maybe it would be better to start at the beginning?

"No, I know the perfect place for a slow day," the Doctor cried as he spun around the console. The lights in the room dimmed, as if the Tardis was mocking him. The Doctor scowled at the central column. "None of that now. We can do slow days."

The lights danced in a rhythm that seemed to convey doubt. The Doctor turned from the console to look at Clara. "Well? Slow day?"

Clara had one of those moments where she felt that it would be better if she didn't say a thing because she was suddenly in the middle of an argument. "Ah. Um."

The Tardis seemed to laugh at them. The Doctor hit a button and the room shook. Moments later, they were stable and the Doctor was grinning. "There we are. Ythml in the 44th century. Peaceful place, lovely parks and these duck-like creatures that will eat everything but bread. Fascinating really. But the atmosphere is breathable and the temperature is comfortable. Come on, off we go."

His enthusiasm was infectious and she was beaming with him as they left the ship. It was nice--the grass was purple and the sky a moss green. There was a nice breeze and it smelled like... "Is that pears?" she asked.

The Doctor took a deep breath. "Actually, it's the smell of roasting Nkgth--those duck-like creatures I was telling you about."

She wrinkled her nose. "Odd name."

He shrugged and grabbed her hand. "Just don't eat it. Poisonous to humans. But they do have this amazing fruit that makes your stomach feel like it's filled with champagne."

"Queasy, then?" she teased.

He frowned at her. "Don't say that until you've tried it. I'm sure there's a market around here that sells them."

"Can't wait," she muttered.

He pulled her along and sure enough, he found a market that was selling the fruit. It was bluish green, tasted like a strawberry, and did make her stomach feel like it was filled with bubbles. But not queasy. They ate it while walking around, enjoying the sights and window shopping. It was a slow day for the Doctor and her and it didn't quite sit right.

"Yes, you're right," he said finally. "Weird this. I can't remember the last time I had a slow day."

She shrugged. "We tried at least. It is nice and the fruit is good."

He smiled. "Good. That's something at least."

There was screaming all of sudden and they shared a smile as they ran toward the sound. Two rights later and the Doctor bumped into someone running in the opposite direction. He looked human--the L'qwnt looked more like birds than humans--and was wearing an old fashioned military coat. He grinned at he looked at the Doctor. "Doctor! Wonderful to see you!"

The Doctor pushed away from the man. "What are you doing here?"

Lasers grazed their heads and the man winced. "Running. Far. Not my fault, I swear. Well."

L'qwnt wearing what looked like a uniform ran down the road and all three of them ran for the Tardis. The man looked at her with a beaming smile. "Jack Harkness. You?"

"Not now!" the Doctor yelled as he snapped his fingers. The Tardis opened her doors and moments later, they entered the Vortex.

"Well?" the Doctor snapped as he stabilized the ship.

Jack's shoulders slumped as he patted the railing that encompassed the room. "I was doing some under cover work and they found me out."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows. "Undercover work? For who?"

Jack smirked. "Spoilers."

The Doctor's face fell. "What?"

Jack winced. "I can't tell you. River said I couldn't."

The Doctor narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. "River tells me everything."

Jack burst out laughing, but not mockingly. "Like you tell her everything?"

"I do!" the Doctor defended hotly, but then pouted. "Mostly."

Jack nodded. "And she _mostly_ tells you everything."

"That's not fair," the Doctor argued. "She's not supposed to have secrets."

Jack held up his hands. "Take it up with her. I do not want to get involved in your domestics."

Clara cleared her throat and both of them turned to her in surprise. She huffed and put her hands on her hips. "Can either of you tell me what exactly is going on here? Who is Jack, Doctor? And who's River?"

"And Ianto," the Doctor muttered. "If we're doing the domestic thing, can't forget Ianto."

Jack winked. "As if you would ever forget him."

The Doctor flushed and Clara blinked, confused even more. The Doctor licked his lips and moved to the console. "Where can we drop you, Jack?"

"Actually, could I have a look at your library?" Jack asked. "I need to look up something."

The Doctor narrowed his eyes. "Something to do with what you can't tell me?"

Jack nodded. "Yep. And can I borrow Clara?"

~~~

"So," Clara started as she walked with Jack in a general direction. The library would pop up somewhere along the route; it just depended on how much the Tardis wanted to play with them.

"Well, you know my name," Jack started. He kept one hand trailing along with the wall and the Tardis was radiating some kind of pleased emotion. "And you know my partner's name, Ianto."

"But Ianto is someone the Doctor...likes?" she interrupted, unsure. There was something there, she just wasn't sure what.

"Oh, more than likes," Jack chuckled. "The Doctor isn't your monogamous sort. Kind of hard to be when you live that long and travel the universe. Universes."

Well. Clara hummed thoughtfully. "And River is the same?"

"River is her own category," Jack told her thoughtfully. "She's more than one of the Doctor's companions and certainly more than his lover and wife."

"He's married?" she blurted out.

"Twice, I suppose if you want to debate it," Jack mused. "Because there's the Tardis and then there's River. I'm not quite sure how either of those relationships work, but the Doctor makes his own rules."

Clara nodded, agreeing. "He does that."

Jack smirked. "There was also Rose, but that's for another day. You want to know about me, right?"

Clara actually wanted to know everything, but suspected that Jack wouldn't tell her anything more. Mostly because what he knew wasn't his to tell. 

"I met the Doctor years ago, for both of us. He was a different man then, broken a bit and very angry. At the whole universe. He saved me--not just my life, but who I am." Jack took a deep breath. "And then Rose saved me and the Doctor left me. I stayed on Earth for a bit, saved it a few times. Do you know Torchwood?" 

"A bit?" she answered hesitatingly. "I remember there was something about it on the news a few times when there were aliens about."

"Well, that was me. Sort of. I worked for them. Not the nicest place and certainly one of the worst jobs one can have. You loose people and find out things that you would rather not know."

"So, it was like being with the Doctor?"

His face lit up. "You know, it was. Maybe that was why I liked it. Anyway, I left Earth in time and then I traveled the universe. Been with the Doctor a few times. It's difficult being with him, though."

"Why?" 

He looked sad and lost as he thought about it. "Because I'm not supposed to be. I should actually be dead, but there was an accident and now I'm...well, I kind of live forever. If I die, I don't stay dead."

That was...she remembered what it felt like, knowing that she could travel to her own grave. She couldn't imagine what it would be like knowing that her grave would never exist because she would never die.

Jack's hand nudged her and she grasped it, automatically from the times when the Doctor had grabbed her hand. Jack swung their hands a bit. "Don't worry about it. I'm fine. I've got Ianto and the Doctor. He's not so bad and at least he and I can always save the universe together. Ianto doesn't quite like doing that, but the Doctor..." He smiled softly. "Well, the Doctor saves the universe, but not always. Sometimes one of us has to do and sometimes we have to save him."

The Doctor was immortal, too? But that thought quickly took a back seat to the fondness in Jack's voice when he talked about the Doctor, an infinity of time saving the universe. "You love him."

He half smiled at her. "You do, too. We all do."

"Forever and always?"

"Forever and always. Now, here is the library. I am looking for a book on black diamonds from Xutclu. It might be in Gallifryan which is why I needed you. The Doctor would easily get distracted, but you won't. The Tardis will direct you to the right area and help you find the book if it is in Gallifryan."

Clara frowned as he let go of her hand and crossed the library to one of the shelves. "Wait a minute. How do you know that I can read...whatever language that is?"

His smile was easy and teasing. He winked. "Spoilers."


End file.
